The Catcher in the Rye
Chapter 7
Stacey Song
Holden enters Ackley’s room after the fight with Stradlater and asks Ackley if he can spend the night in the room with him. Holden continues to ignore or change the subject whenever Ackley asks for the reason behind the fight with Stradlater. After many attempts from Ackley to kick Holden out from his room, Holden thanks Ackley for being “a goddam prince” and leaves. He returns to his own room and packs his belongings into his suitcase while counting his “dough”. Holden then walks out of Pencey as he yells, “Sleep tight, ya morons!”
Holden is being direct to his readers, telling them about his past. “We once double-dated, in Ed Banky’s car”, this flashback is a technique that is used to reflect Holden’s tormented state of mind, this allows the readers to engage with Holden as well as gain more information about his past.
During the chapter Holden continues to introduce new information about him and his past in a non-chronological way, confusing the readers and building an air of disorganisation.
Truncated sentences are also used frequently by Holden during this chapter, this captures and emphasises Holden’s personality. “He was a pretty wealthy guy. He said he didn’t know. He said he didn’t much want to buy it.” Short and simple sentences like these address the story directly without the need of further explanation. They are made to be easier to understand for readers. It also describes Holden as a character being direct, stubborn and simplistic.
The use of italics on certain words emphasises the stress that it is given. It also gives away a personal writing style that Holden is using. “... In this very quiet, sincere voice – like as if he wasn’t only a very handsome guy but a nice, sincere guy too”. Italics can also give the effect of a sarcastic tone used by the narrator.
I think Holden’s ignorance towards other people such as Stradlater and Ackley, define him as an individual among society. Pencey being a high class school for teenage boys, it is assumed that they have certain values and expectancies of other students. However, it seems as though Holden stands out as an individual because he lives his life as it is.
During this chapter Holden’s thoughts and behaviour is not what a normal teenage boy’s would be like, again capturing his individuality compared to other boys his age.